Waxwing was a British solid rocket motor used for apogee kick as the 3rd (upper) stage of the Black Arrow satellite launch vehicles. It was also known as Black Arrow-3. Waxwing was used to successfully place the Prospero X-3 satellite into low Earth orbit on 28 October 1971, Britain's only satellite launched on an indigenously developed launch vehicle. Before being separated from the Black Arrow launch vehicle, it would be spun on a turntable using six radial 'Imp' solid rocket motors[1] to spin stabilise the satellite. This means that any discrepancy in thrust in any direction would be cancelled out. The Waxwing motor is now out of production.[2]
Black Arrow satellite deployment, with Waxwing upper stage.Waxwing seen without its engine nozzle
Another possible use of Waxwing was to increase the velocity of test re-entry vehicles on Black Knight during tests for the Blue Streak missile.[3] However, this is disputed by other sources.
Design and developmentedit
Design was by the Rocket Propulsion Establishment (RPE) at Westcott and it was manufactured by Bristol Aerojet, with four units for the Black Arrow program with their first flight 1969.[4][2] The casing was spherical and the propellant grain used an internal star profile to control the initial burn rate.
waxwing, rocket, motor, this, article, about, rocket, motor, other, uses, waxwing, disambiguation, waxwing, british, solid, rocket, motor, used, apogee, kick, upper, stage, black, arrow, satellite, launch, vehicles, also, known, black, arrow, waxwing, used, su. This article is about the rocket motor For other uses see Waxwing disambiguation Waxwing was a British solid rocket motor used for apogee kick as the 3rd upper stage of the Black Arrow satellite launch vehicles It was also known as Black Arrow 3 Waxwing was used to successfully place the Prospero X 3 satellite into low Earth orbit on 28 October 1971 Britain s only satellite launched on an indigenously developed launch vehicle Before being separated from the Black Arrow launch vehicle it would be spun on a turntable using six radial Imp solid rocket motors 1 to spin stabilise the satellite This means that any discrepancy in thrust in any direction would be cancelled out The Waxwing motor is now out of production 2 Black Arrow satellite deployment with Waxwing upper stage Waxwing seen without its engine nozzle Another possible use of Waxwing was to increase the velocity of test re entry vehicles on Black Knight during tests for the Blue Streak missile 3 However this is disputed by other sources Design and development editDesign was by the Rocket Propulsion Establishment RPE at Westcott and it was manufactured by Bristol Aerojet with four units for the Black Arrow program with their first flight 1969 4 2 The casing was spherical and the propellant grain used an internal star profile to control the initial burn rate Specifications 2 Thrust sea level 25 900 kN 5823 lbf 1 Thrust vacuum 29 4 kN 6609 lbf Specific impulse sea level 245 s Specific impulse vacuum 278 s Burn time 28 s Weight Gross mass 397 kg 875 lb Unfuelled mass 87 kg 191lb Dimensions 5 2 Diameter 0 69 m 2 26 ft Height 1 22 m 4 00 ft Nozzle length 22 in 0 56 m Nozzle diameter 18 in 0 46 m This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it June 2008 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Waxwing rocket motor a b Black Arrow exhibit Science Museum London a b c d Black Arrow 3 astronautix com Archived from the original on 28 December 2016 Waxwing rocket motor Archived from the original on 8 May 2008 Retrieved 9 April 2008 Point of the Arrow FLIGHT International 11 November 1971 Waxwing dimensional drawing Space UK Archived from the original on 6 November 2004 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Astronautix Page nbsp This rocketry article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waxwing rocket motor amp oldid 1182139488, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
